Submission on Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill 2024

Summary

• The Salvation Army Te Ope Whakaora strongly opposes this Bill and asks that the Select Committee recommend that Parliament does not proceed with this legislation.
• Repealing Section 7AA will remove the formal requirement on Oranga Tamariki to act on and be accountable for progress towards reducing the huge inequities facing tamariki Māori in the care and protection system.
• Improvements in measures of equity since 2019 such as fewer tamariki Māori in state care demonstrate the influence of 7AA in addressing inequities.
• Increased formal partnerships with kaupapa Māori organisations is increasing the capacity of the sector to better respond to individual children in a culturally appropriate way.
• The is little basis to the argument that 7AA has reduced focus on wellbeing of individual children. Instead, it has helped focus on the essential place of cultural and whānau connections in the wellbeing of individual children and influenced the practice of other organisations such as The Salvation Army.